Hazel’s review of One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd (One Thousand White Women, #1) > Likes and Comments
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I just added A Midwife's Tale to my list. Thanks, Elizabeth!
*Makes mental note not to go near Jim Gergus books*...
Oh, I don't know Rachel, maybe I'm being too negative. If so, blame it on my disappointment!
Thank you Elizabeth, I've added Midwife's Tale too. And the Katherine Howe book is already on my list, Annie. I have to admit, my to-read list is getting a bit unwieldy. Goodreads is a great source of recommendations. Thank you.
Hazel, I heard the same complaints from other readers. I suspect it was a best-seller because people thought it was non-fiction.
Miriam wrote: "Hazel, I heard the same complaints from other readers. I suspect it was a best-seller because people thought it was non-fiction."
Did you read it yourself, Miriam?
No, once I heard about it from friends I decided to skip it. But I knew people who bought it under the misapprehension that it was an account by a real person of something that actually happened.
I would have found that idea very exciting. :-) I'm afraid I still haven't gotten to Elizabeth's recommendation. My to-read list has gotten out of hand.
Mine's been out of hand for years. Don't let it worry you.
Miriam wrote: "Mine's been out of hand for years. Don't let it worry you."
I've recently decided to change my perception of that list. Rather than a length of string I'm rolling into a ball, to keep firmly in hand, I've decided it should be a field of possibilities that I can play in from time to time, perhaps never exploring every corner. :-)
Thank you for putting into words the feelings I've been having about this book as I read it. Her reaction to being repeatedly raped by one of the asylum workers was so unrealistic that it made me cringe. It was if it were a rather disagreeable experience rather than a traumatic, violent event. I don't know if I can finish reading this book...
Jill wrote: "Thank you for putting into words the feelings I've been having about this book as I read it. Her reaction to being repeatedly raped by one of the asylum workers was so unrealistic that it made me c..."
I used to feel almost a sense of 'duty' to finish books I'd begun. And I still wonder sometimes, 'Should I persevere? Am I missing something?' But now I have so many on my to-read list that I need to focus my time and reading energy. :-)
Thanks for taking the bullet on this one, I be avoiding it!
And I really understand about the shouldism of finishing a book even though it's not doing it for you.
Just in case it suddenly gets devastatingly clever fifty pages from where you wanted to run away.
Midwife's Tale sounds good, though.
I sm currently reading this and have quite a few qualms with the book but also have found some deep philophy and quotations. I didn't go into the book knowing anything of Native American culture and I feel that what was presented as thei culture only presents the Native Americans as greedy, drunk, horny, uncontrollable monsters. Once I finish the book I will share my reviw.
Elizabeth wrote: "Try A Midwife's Tale The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812! It's fantastic. It's really well written, includes the text of the diary, and reads more like a story t..."
I just ordered "A Midwife's Tale from the library. Thank you for the suggestion Elizabeth. It looks interesting! //*_*\\
It was nearly painful trying to read May's story when every other line reminded me the author was male and had no true understanding of being a woman. thank you for the review-- you are so right. There was a ton of potential here for an awesome story, but it just didn't work.
Yes! Perfectly captured. Annoyance exactly
Yes! Perfectly captured. Annoyance exactly
Yes! Jill, spot on about the rapes in the asylum. While reading about May's reference to it, I kept on thinking WTF?? Am I reading that correctly and she is just joking about it kind-of like? No way. Just NO WAY. And Lindsay...I am glad you said what you said. I am shocked that the book has not been vastly criticized for its stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans...especially in such a flippant way. The more I think about it, the less I liked the book. Now I really don't like it at all!
Yes, all the stereotypes are represented here. Main character just isn't believable for the time frame. Did a great swan dive into the creek and impressed the indians, oh pleeeze!
I agree. It was an absolutely awful book. In addition to suggestion of "Midwife's Tale," I suggest Sandra Dallas's "Diary of Mattie Spenser," ya'll would like it.
I totally agree with your review. This book made me so angry I think I never cursed as much as when I was writing my own review.
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Nov 25, 2009 10:36AM
I just added A Midwife's Tale to my list. Thanks, Elizabeth!
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*Makes mental note not to go near Jim Gergus books*...
Oh, I don't know Rachel, maybe I'm being too negative. If so, blame it on my disappointment!Thank you Elizabeth, I've added Midwife's Tale too. And the Katherine Howe book is already on my list, Annie. I have to admit, my to-read list is getting a bit unwieldy. Goodreads is a great source of recommendations. Thank you.
Hazel, I heard the same complaints from other readers. I suspect it was a best-seller because people thought it was non-fiction.
Miriam wrote: "Hazel, I heard the same complaints from other readers. I suspect it was a best-seller because people thought it was non-fiction."Did you read it yourself, Miriam?
No, once I heard about it from friends I decided to skip it. But I knew people who bought it under the misapprehension that it was an account by a real person of something that actually happened.
I would have found that idea very exciting. :-) I'm afraid I still haven't gotten to Elizabeth's recommendation. My to-read list has gotten out of hand.
Mine's been out of hand for years. Don't let it worry you.
Miriam wrote: "Mine's been out of hand for years. Don't let it worry you."I've recently decided to change my perception of that list. Rather than a length of string I'm rolling into a ball, to keep firmly in hand, I've decided it should be a field of possibilities that I can play in from time to time, perhaps never exploring every corner. :-)
Thank you for putting into words the feelings I've been having about this book as I read it. Her reaction to being repeatedly raped by one of the asylum workers was so unrealistic that it made me cringe. It was if it were a rather disagreeable experience rather than a traumatic, violent event. I don't know if I can finish reading this book...
Jill wrote: "Thank you for putting into words the feelings I've been having about this book as I read it. Her reaction to being repeatedly raped by one of the asylum workers was so unrealistic that it made me c..."I used to feel almost a sense of 'duty' to finish books I'd begun. And I still wonder sometimes, 'Should I persevere? Am I missing something?' But now I have so many on my to-read list that I need to focus my time and reading energy. :-)
Thanks for taking the bullet on this one, I be avoiding it!And I really understand about the shouldism of finishing a book even though it's not doing it for you.
Just in case it suddenly gets devastatingly clever fifty pages from where you wanted to run away.
Midwife's Tale sounds good, though.
I sm currently reading this and have quite a few qualms with the book but also have found some deep philophy and quotations. I didn't go into the book knowing anything of Native American culture and I feel that what was presented as thei culture only presents the Native Americans as greedy, drunk, horny, uncontrollable monsters. Once I finish the book I will share my reviw.
Elizabeth wrote: "Try A Midwife's Tale The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812! It's fantastic. It's really well written, includes the text of the diary, and reads more like a story t..."I just ordered "A Midwife's Tale from the library. Thank you for the suggestion Elizabeth. It looks interesting! //*_*\\
It was nearly painful trying to read May's story when every other line reminded me the author was male and had no true understanding of being a woman. thank you for the review-- you are so right. There was a ton of potential here for an awesome story, but it just didn't work.
Yes! Perfectly captured. Annoyance exactly
Yes! Perfectly captured. Annoyance exactly
Yes! Jill, spot on about the rapes in the asylum. While reading about May's reference to it, I kept on thinking WTF?? Am I reading that correctly and she is just joking about it kind-of like? No way. Just NO WAY. And Lindsay...I am glad you said what you said. I am shocked that the book has not been vastly criticized for its stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans...especially in such a flippant way. The more I think about it, the less I liked the book. Now I really don't like it at all!
Yes, all the stereotypes are represented here. Main character just isn't believable for the time frame. Did a great swan dive into the creek and impressed the indians, oh pleeeze!
I agree. It was an absolutely awful book. In addition to suggestion of "Midwife's Tale," I suggest Sandra Dallas's "Diary of Mattie Spenser," ya'll would like it.
I totally agree with your review. This book made me so angry I think I never cursed as much as when I was writing my own review.
